Nurses' effect on changing patient outcomes

Emphasis on examining provider effects and resulting patient outcomes has grown considerably in the past several decades. This paper highlights the effect of nurses on changing patient outcomes. The most important issues raised include the types of patient outcomes that should be measured; the amount and type of nursing (or "nurse dose") needed to effect patient outcomes; the nurse dose needed in a given health care environment to demonstrate an effect; and the nurse dose needed for effects with differing patient groups.